Kristi Noem's Inappropriate Neon Pink Dress Will Always Haunt Her

Kristi Noem channeled Barbiecore a little too late. While attending the Governors' Dinner at the White House in February 2025, the Secretary of Homeland Security donned a hot pink getup that was much more colorful and outlandish than the attire chosen by other guests at the event. Noem paired a neon pink blouse with a darker pink maxi skirt, and styled the look by curling her hair and wearing it long in her typical style.

People on X called out the politician for donning something that was a little too bright. One person was critical not only of Noem's pink dress, but of her often-criticized pattern of seeming to gussy up for photos rather than focusing on her job. "...[All] dressed up for yet another photo op. No work getting done but tons of photos," they tweeted. "You nailed Barbiecore!" another person wrote, encouragingly. The only problem is the Barbiecore craze reached a fever-pitch in the summer of 2022, and has long since died down. Meanwhile, someone else commented on Noem's pink look, paying attention to the overall youthfulness of the outfit, including her hair. "The teen days of long locks are over, sugar. Get rid of the Trumpy hair extensions.....something shoulder length would be more appropriate and would look better, too," they commented. So it seems like all around, Noem couldn't win when it came to her pink, White House dinner choice. 

Kristi Noem's gotten a lot of flack for her choice of style, particularly since becoming the Secretary of Homeland Security. She's primarily been called out for her  cosplay-style of dress, appearing in outfits that seem intended to mimic the uniforms of working individuals; from cop to a coast guard, and even nurses. But it's not just playing dress up that's led to criticism of Noem's fashion choices. There was the pink, Barbiecore look at the White House, but that wasn't all. Wearing a blue, sleeveless flower dress to the White House, Noem got called out for hopping on the outdated 3D flower trend a year too late. For a politician and a person who's often interacting with the public, her outfits often out of place.

The politician has also sparked whispers about rumored face lifts and it's no wonder why. Noem's face transformation is a sight to see, and in throwback photos, the difference is remarkable. It's precisely because of all of these plastic surgery changes that she has become one of the feature faces of the Mar-A-Lago face, a plastic surgery trend that seems to be taking over those in Trump's inner circle. This combination of trying to look younger and picture-perfect while wearing questionable outfits has made Noem a hot topic in the world of fashion fails.